Defibrillation is a process used for patients encountering fibrillation of the heart. The defibrillation process involves placing two electrode paddles on the patient's chest and applying a high density, electrical current to the patient so as to stimulate the heart and correct the fibrillation of the heart.
Dry skin on a patient causes the interface between the metal defibrillator paddles and the skin to have a high impedance. This can cause severe skin burns and may cause a significant reduction in the current delivered to the heart so as to prevent successful defibrillation.
Present methods for applying the defibrillator paddles to the skin involve the use of electrically conductive gels which are applied to the patient's skin and which are also applied to the defibrillator paddles. Often the gel is incompletely applied, leaving bare spots between the paddle and the patient's skin. These bare spots may result in burning of the patient's skin during discharge. Also, it is necessary for the user of the paddles to continue to apply pressure between the paddle and the patient's skin in order to insure a positive electrical contact therebetween.
Another disadvantage of presently used gels is that they are messy. Also, the gel often gets on the user's hands and arms, making it difficult for the user to perform other functions such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Another presently used method for defibrillating involves the use of moisturized polymer pads which are enclosed within an airtight envelope The pads are removed from the envelope and placed on the patient's chest immediately prior to use. Then the defibrillator paddles are placed over the pads in preparation for their use. The disadvantage of these moisturized pads is that they tend to harden and become brittle after prolonged exposure to the atmosphere. Furthermore, they do not provide a strong adhesive bond between the pad and the patient's chest, and therefore, they sometimes slip or move after use.
Another method for defibrillating involves the use of a pad such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,630. The method disclosed in this patent shows a polymer pad which is tacky and adhesive in its characteristics. It is also a good electrical conductor. The polymer pad is placed over the electrode on the defibrillator paddle. Then the paddle with the polymer pad attached thereto is placed over the patient's chest. The tackiness of the polymer pad causes the defibrillator paddle to adhere to the pad and also causes the polymer pad to adhere to the patient's chest, thereby providing a good electrical contact between the paddle and the chest. However, removal of the defibrillator paddle from the pad is difficult because the paddle is in complete direct contact with the tacky upper surface of the polymer pad.
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is the provision of an improved defibrillator pad assembly and method for using same.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a defibrillator pad assembly which utilizes conductive pads having a tacky under surface, but having an upper surface which is substantially less tacky so that the defibrillator paddles can be easily removed from the pad.
A further object of the present invention is a provision of an improved defibrillator pad assembly which utilizes pads which can be quickly adhered to the patient's chest and left there for a period of time during transporting of the patient.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved defibrillator pad having an adhesive electrically conductive polymer on its lower surface, and having a layer of metal foil on its upper surface, the metal foil having apertures therein which expose portions of the upper surface of the conductive polymer.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved defibrillator pad assembly and method for using same which is economical, efficient in operation, and inexpensive.